My Inner Nightmare
by Queenie Z
Summary: A strange woman who claims to be an old friend of the royal family bewitches Link into falling in love with her, and only Zelda and Impa can save his soul from the evil being known as Jenna. A parody/reimagining of "My Inner Life" by Link's Queen.
1. Something Wicked This Way Comes

**My Inner Nightmare****  
By Queenie Z**

_Dedicated to Jenna, AKA Link's Queen, whose old shame has provided Zelda fans with laughter for ten years._

_**Chapter 1: Something Wicked This Way Comes**_

With early spring came early spring rains, and with early spring rains came early spring mud. Zelda crinkled her nose, lifting the skirt of her dress just enough so that it wouldn't drag across the damp, dirty grass of the castle courtyard. Her bare feet squishing into the soft earth with each step - there was no way she was going to try and traverse this path in those damned heels - she walked all the way to the castle's main gate, where a pair of guards saluted her. After flashing them a forced smile, she circled around the outer walls, leaning against them when she reached the place she had told Link to meet her.

For a moment, she wondered what she was doing, arranging a rendezvous with her friend out here like they were secret lovers or some such nonsense. But she knew that this was the only way they could have met that day; after all, Link's knight training took up nearly all of his time, save for a short afternoon recess, and to call him to the castle officially would have only wasted his time. In addition, she needed to tell him something urgent, something that couldn't wait until he was given leave by his superiors - something that shook the young princess to her core to think about.

Suddenly, Zelda caught something out of the corner of her eye. She screeched, turning to catch the apple that had been tossed at her and fumbling once it landed in her hands. Then she heard a familiar laugh and looked up.

"Nice catch," said Link with a cheeky grin and a bag filled with fresh fruit. "You can have it if you like."

Zelda sighed, smiling with a cocked eyebrow. "You shouldn't sneak up on people like that, Link."

Link shrugged. "'When strength isn't an option, use stealth'. At least, that's what my commander says."

"You really have been taking your training seriously, haven't you?"

He nodded, the boyish excitement she had come to love about him showing itself in his face. "It's really given me a sense of purpose," he said. "I have a home now - I have friends - and I get to keep doing what I'm good at."

"Using a sword?"

"Helping people." He took out a peach from the bag, sat it down, and used a small combat knife from his belt to cut the fruit in half. "And I wouldn't have been able to do it without your help, Zelda."

The princess smiled sweetly at him. "That's just like you. I'm glad you're doing so well." She looked down at her apple, her face growing serious. "...Link, I need to tell you something I dreamed about last night."

"Mmm?" Link's eyes widened in attention as he ate his snack. "You had another premonition?"

She nodded. "It's possible. And it concerns you."

"Am I going to need to save the world again?" he said half-jokingly (though Zelda knew he would have been more than willing had that been the case).

Zelda shut her eyes as she recalled her dream. "...In my dream, you were chasing after something - an evil shadow that was beckoning you. I tried to call out to you and tell you to stop, that it was dangerous, but you couldn't hear me." Her fingers tightened over the apple. "And then... then, the shadow swallowed you up."

Link looked at her, worried. "You think something evil is after me?"

"I think something evil is going to try and deceive you."

The young knight looked off to the side for a moment in thought. Then, he smiled again.

"I'm sure that whatever it is," he said, "we can defeat it."

She nodded once more. "I have the utmost confidence that you can defeat any foe you face." She took his left hand in her right. "I'll pray that your Triforce of Courage will protect you, but, still, I - "

"I'll be careful," finished Link with a confident look, "I promise."

"Thank you, Link." She looked up, blinking when she noticed storm clouds. "Oh, no, more storms... you should return to the barracks before it starts pouring again."

"Yeah." Link grabbed his bag of fruit in one arm and turned to leave. Then, he stopped and turned his head. "Oh! We're still going to the spring festival together, right, Zelda?"

She giggled. "Of course we are! I wouldn't go back on my promise to you, would I?"

"Just making sure!" he said, running off towards town with an excited little grin on his face.

With a wave, Zelda saw him off, then finally took a bite of her apple. As she ate, however, she couldn't help but wonder; storm clouds had always been a harbinger of evil in her dreams, and she couldn't shake the feeling that the ones forming above her head carried the same sort of meaning.

* * *

The spring festival began a week later, and thankfully the weather was much better by that time. Wearing a light blue gown made especially for the occasion (which Link had reacted to with a blush, a cough, and a sputtered "y-you look nice!", much to her amusement), Princess Zelda waited with the guards by the castle gate to meet and greet the friends of the royal family, who came to feast with them as per tradition. She had hoped that the greetings would come and go quickly, for Link was waiting for her in the courtyard to go into town and enjoy the festivities there.

After seeing the emissaries of King Zora off towards the inner parts of the castle, she sighed and placed a hand on her cheek. She hadn't enjoyed performing tedious royal duties such as this ever since she was young; oh, well, she thought, it was a small price to pay in exchange for the power to help her people. In any case, there should only be a few guests left, so she would be able to leave fairly soon.

That was when something odd caught her eye. A large covered wagon pulled by two dark brown horses approached the castle, with an unfamiliar woman as its driver. The guards quickly noticed that she was not a regular visitor like the others had been and stopped the wagon. Thought Zelda couldn't hear their conversation, the guards and the woman exchanged a few words - then, to her surprise, the guards simply stepped aside and allowed her to dismount her wagon.

"We'll keep your horses in the stables, ma'am," said one of the guards as he escorted her to the castle gates. "Your goods will be safe with us."

"Thank you," replied the woman. As she approached the castle, the princess became overwhelmed with a sharp headache and a ringing in her ears. That woman was clearly emitting some foul, dark magic, which triggered Zelda's pain. She'd felt this way around the now imprisoned Gerudo king, so there was no doubt that she had evil intentions.

She approached the woman and the guard, ignoring the ever-growing pain in her head. "Excuse me," she said, "this event is for friends of the royal family only. I'm going to have to ask you to leave."

The woman looked shocked - though Zelda could tell that something was phony about her surprise. Then, she tilted her head, her long, chestnut-colored hair falling against her sickeningly sweet smiling face. "Why, Zelda," she said, "I can't believe you've forgotten your old friend! Surely it hasn't been _that _long since my last trip to Hyrule."

Zelda frowned. "I have no idea what you're talking about."

"It's me," she replied, her brown eyes boring deep into the princess' skull, "your friend Jenna."

With a grunt, Zelda grabbed her head in pain. What kind of sorcery was this! This woman calling herself her "old friend" was trying to cast some sort of spell upon her! But it didn't seem to have any effect; the Triforce mark on her right hand glowed vividly, and her pain suddenly stopped.

The woman who called herself Jenna must have noticed her spell didn't work, for she took one look at the sacred mark and recoiled in shock. After glaring for a short moment at the princess, Jenna quickly composed herself.

"...I suppose it must have been a long time after all," she said. "Forgive me, Princess."

"Mistress Jenna was indeed invited to the feast, Your Highness," said the guard without missing a beat, "she has permission to be here."

"What!" cried Zelda, "What are you - "

"Now if you'll excuse me," interrupted Jenna as she brushed past the bewildered princess, "I'm going to take a look around. I've heard rumors that a legendary hero was also invited; I do intend to catch a glimpse of such a celebrity before I leave...!"

Zelda gasped, watching in horror as this _witch_ so boldly wandered through the courtyard. "You - " she stormed after her, "I don't know what you are, but if you so much as _look _at Link I'll - "

She felt a strong hand grab her wrist and pull her swiftly away to the other side of the courtyard. Zelda struggled to break free.

"Impa!" she cried to her nursemaid, "Impa, let me go! That woman, she's - !"

"I know," said the Sheikah, her fierce red eyes narrowed. "You're lucky you haven't fallen under her spell."

"I have my Triforce to thank for that," replied the Princess, yanking herself from Impa's grip. "But she's after Link! Impa, we have to stop her!"

"Your Highness, please calm yourself," said Impa sternly. "You only know that this woman possesses powerful magic and the ability to alter a person's memories, if the guards are any indication." She frowned. "We have no idea what else she's capable of. To confront her now would be foolhardy!"

"But, Link is..."

The older woman crossed her arms. "I know Link is in danger," she said, "and that's precisely why you need to stay calm and observe the situation."

Zelda inhaled sharply, listening to what Impa had to say.

"She's posing as an old friend of the royal family's," she said, "so she won't harm him as long as doing so would blow her cover. Because you seem to be immune to her mind games, you should follow her and learn what exactly she wants from him."

The young princess nodded. "And what about you?"

"I do not possess a piece of the Triforce like you do, so I assume I would be susceptible to her magic." She headed for a door that led inside. "I'll stay hidden in the library for now, and uncover any information on this 'Jenna' and her magic that I can."

"All right," said Zelda resolutely. "I'll let you know what I find out."

"As will I." Impa opened the door. "...Be careful, Princess." She entered and shut it behind her, leaving Zelda alone in the courtyard.

With another deep breath, the princess turned and ran in the direction that this so-called Jenna went.

* * *

When Zelda heard a mixture of familiar laughter, she quickly darted behind a garden statue and listened.

"Jenna, my dear friend," rang an old, deep voice with a hearty laugh, "how have you been?"

Zelda was shocked - it was her father! He must have fallen under this wicked sorceress' spell too!

"Your Majesty, my old friend, how I have missed you!" said Jenna in a putridly chipper tone, "I have been just fine! It is really nice to see you again."

When Zelda dared to peer out from her hiding spot, she saw Jenna and the king in a heartfelt embrace. The sight made her sick to her stomach - how _dare _she play her father, the revered King of Hyrule, for a fool like this!

"Jenna, my sweet daughter," - his _sweet daughter_! - "what have you acquired through your travels this past year?"

"You must see some of the new cloth I picked up in the city of Skyile, the great city of light." Zelda gritted her teeth - no such city even existed, and yet her father was falling for every word she said!

The king smiled broadly at the woman. "Jenna my daughter, you must show me what you've acquired." The princess' heart sank each time _her _father called this witch his "daughter". She watched as he took Jenna's hand and began to lead her away. "Come now, we'll talk more inside."

"Oh, I'd love to," said Jenna, slipping her hand away, "but first... I had heard rumors that a mighty warrior of great strength and virtue was here at the castle today. Might you be able to tell me where he is?"

"A mighty warrior?" The king placed a fat finger to his bearded chin in thought, then began to laugh again. "You don't mean young Link, do you?"

Jenna smiled wickedly. "Oh... is _that _his name?"

"I wouldn't go so far as to call him a 'mighty warrior'," chuckled the king, "he is still just a child no older than my daughter, and a rookie knight to boot!" He shook his head in amusement. "He has been a wonderful friend to Zelda all these years, however, so I suppose I'll give him that."

Though Zelda wanted nothing more than to knock her father upside the head for speaking of Link in such a way, she had more important matters to attend to.

"Come to think of it," said the king, pointing to the north, "I think I saw him head that way a short while ago."

Jenna's expression grew almost gleeful. "Thank you, my friend," she said, heading towards where the king pointed. Immediately, Zelda tailed her, walking right past her father in the process.

"Oh, Zelda!" he said as he saw her walk past, "Did you ever say hello to your friend Je - "

"I'm _busy_, Father."

The king cocked an eyebrow. "Such a moody daughter I have," he mused to himself.

* * *

When she reached the northern end of the courtyard, the princess hung low in the shadows of the connecting corridor, hiding in a blind spot she know wouldn't be visible. Her breath stopped when she saw Link sitting in the grass, making a chain out of small flowers as he waited. But then she remembered that there were guards in the area as well; Impa had said that she wouldn't harm Link as long as her cover could be compromised, and knowing that calmed her slightly.

As Jenna approached, Zelda saw Link suddenly wince in pain in the same manner she had - that's right, he possessed the same sensitivity to evil magic that she did! His reactions honed from both his journeys and his knight's training, he jumped up, glared at the evil woman, and placed a hand on his sword's hilt.

"Who are you!" he growled, "What do you want!"

Jenna simply smiled, staring deep into Link's eyes. "Are you the 'Hero of Time' I've been told of? The one who saved Hyrule?"

Zelda was stunned; there was no way she could have known that he held that title! Link's journey in an alternate history as the Hero of Time was a secret only herself, Link, and Impa knew about! However, nothing could have prepared her for what happened next.

Link lowered his hand from his sword, took Jenna's in it, and _kissed her fingers_.

"Oh, Goddesses, no," Zelda whimpered. She had hoped that his Triforce would protect him from her magic like hers had; however, it seemed that the nature of the Triforce of Courage was quite different from that of her own, and he fell under her spell regardless.

He lifted his head and grinned. "Who might this beautiful young lady be?"

The princess gagged as Jenna giggled coyly. "My name is Jenna. I'm a traveling merchant from the Great Lebian Coast." Again with the names of places that didn't exist! "I have been a friend of the royal family for a long time, and I come every year for Hyrule's annual spring festival." No she hadn't, that wicked, lying _demoness_!

"Nice to meet you, Mistress Jenna," said Link in a highly uncharacteristically suave manner. "You are as beautiful as a winter rose." He kissed Jenna's hand again, making Jenna giggle and Zelda cringe in disgust. She couldn't believe that Link, the same Link who would turn a brilliant shade of red when a pretty girl so much as smiled at him, was kissing this woman's hand and reciting corny lines like the hero of a cheap romance novel!

"So," continued Link, still not letting go of Jenna's hand, "what are you doing tonight?"

Jenna shut her eyes and smiled, just barely containing her terrible glee. "Nothing, really; I was just going to retire to my wagon and cook supper before settling in front of a fire to read a book."

"Why don't you join me tonight for dinner, then?"

"I would love to go!"

Link finally let go of her hand and smiled goofily at her. "I'll pick you up this evening, then."

"All right." Jenna turned and left, but not before glancing back at Link one last time. She grinned, winking seductively. "See you tonight."

As soon as she knew Jenna was gone, Zelda rushed over to Link, who was still grinning stupidly like a fool in love. In a panic, she grabbed his shoulder and began to shake him.

"Link, snap out of it!" she said, "That woman's put a spell on you!"

The young knight cocked his eyebrow and yanked Zelda's hands away. "What's gotten into you all of the sudden?" he asked, "Am I not allowed to ask a pretty girl out to dinner?"

"I'm telling you, Link, she's _evil_!" Zelda's eyes filled with tears of frustration as she spoke. "She's tricking you! She's the shadow from my dream - she's going to kill you!"

Link simply laughed, placing a hand on her head. "Zelda, if you're jealous, you can just tell me so."

She glared tearfully at him. It was so clear to her that this sorceress was after Link's heart and, most likely, his life; yet he had been so bewitched by her that he couldn't even see that much! "...You're _unbelievable_," she spat out as she turned, running off to join Impa in the library.

With a sigh, Link scratched his head. "Ah, well," he muttered, "I should go get ready. I can't keep Jenna waiting, after all."


	2. Love To Faults Is Always Blind

**My Inner Nightmare****  
****By Queenie Z**

_**Chapter 2: Love To Faults Is Always Blind**_

"_Impa_!"

The doors of the castle's library flew open, revealing a hysterical Princess Zelda breathing heavily from her mad dash from the courtyard. Her guardian, who had been perusing the contents of quite a few books on everything from magical tomes to monster encyclopedias, stood quickly, her face growing ever more concerned.

"Princess," she said, approaching her, "what happened? Are you all right?"

Zelda nodded, swallowing hard and walking towards a chair. "I'm fine," she said breathlessly, "but Link is - Impa, it's terrible! She didn't just change his memories, she made him _fall in love _with her...!"

Impa's eyes widened. "Are you sure that's what happened?"

The young princess shot a slight glare at her. "He said she was as 'beautiful as a winter rose' and kissed her hand," she said curtly, "it seems pretty obvious how thoroughly bewitched he's been."

"...This is worse than I'd thought," muttered Impa, placing a hand on her chin and returning to her books. She pulled out an encyclopedia of Hyrule's monsters and turned to one of the bookmarks. "I'd considered the possibility, but I didn't think it was likely."

"What?" said Zelda, rushing over to look at the book with her, "What did you find?"

"Look at this," Impa said as she pointed to a picture of a nude woman with fierce claws and bat-like wings. "This is a succubus, a rare but deadly creature whose primary source of nourishment is human souls."

"Human souls?" the princess asked, astonished, "Such a creature actually exists!"

Impa nodded. "The succubus hunts her prey - mostly men - by seducing them with a type of mind control spell. Then, while mating with the victim, she devours their souls. Depending on the type of soul she eats, it could sustain her for decades or even centuries."

Zelda clasped her hands to her mouth, horrified. "No," she said, "she can't... but, Impa, why Link? Why _him_!"

"From what I've gathered, Link's soul could be considered a rare delicacy to a succubus." Impa looked back up at the shaken princess. "Not only is he a virgin, he also possesses a great deal of courage, valor, and kindness." She closed her eyes. "The purer and more virtuous a man is, the longer his soul can sustain the creature."

"We've got to stop her," said Zelda resolutely. "Do these books have any information on how to defeat a succubus?"

"Unfortunately not," said Impa, closing the book. "However, I have a theory on how we could possibly break her spell."

"How?"

"The kind of magic this 'Jenna' uses is typically emanated from some source; perhaps a charm of some sort. If we could find the source of her magic, we can break the spell on Link and the others."

The princess broke into a huge, relieved smile. "Impa, you're a genius!" she said, standing up and heading for the door again.

"Zelda, wait," called Impa, "just what are you planning to do?"

"Jenna mentioned that she's been living out of her wagon for her little trip," she replied, "and I assume she's going to get ready for her and Link's - " she gagged on the word, " - _date _in there. I'll spy on her and see if I can find the source of her magic."

"In a covered wagon? She'll doubtlessly see you."

Zelda turned her head and winked at Impa. "I'll take your Sheikah cloak, then," she said, "and camouflage myself. You keep researching a way to defeat her permanently."

Impa nodded once more. "Just be careful, Princess."

With that, Zelda exited the library and headed straight for Impa's chambers to change.

* * *

Impa's cloak, an ancient, magical artifact that had been passed down through her tribe for ages, was the embodiment of the Sheikah philosophy of seeing while remaining unseen. As soon as its wearer uttered a few magic words, it would turn them completely invisible. As such, it was perfect for sneaking into the succubus' covered wagon and spying on her.

Zelda made her way to the stables where the horses were being kept, and just outside was Jenna's wagon, although there was no sign that she had been back by yet. Knowing that this would be the perfect opportunity to sneak inside, she muttered the spell, camouflaged herself, and walked past the guards, opening the cloth flap covering the wagon's entrance.

She gaped at what she found inside. What powerful magic this creature must have had if she was able to create a wagon that was twice as big on the inside as it was on the outside! There was an entire living space filled with colorful decorations of all kinds, a fireplace, a stove, a bed, and what appeared to be a fully-functional bathtub and toilet! Clearly, she thought, Jenna was used to living luxuriously and getting what she wanted - but Zelda was determined to not let the demoness have her way with Link!

She looked around the place, being careful not to disturb anything, searching for any clues as to Jenna's source of magic or her weaknesses. Unfortunately, all she found were your typical, albeit extravagant, merchant's trappings - bolts of cloth, jewelry, and various little trinkets she assumedly sold as a part of her cover. Zelda had to admit that it was a clever ruse; after all, who would suspect an ordinary merchant of being a soul-stealing succubus?

Suddenly she heard footsteps approaching. After making sure that her cloaking spell was still active, she backed into a corner and held still, watching as the foul beast entered the wagon with a sigh of satisfaction. Immediately, she turned on the bath's faucet, sat down at her vanity, and began brushing her long brown hair. Then, after the bath was ready, she turned the faucet off and began to disrobe.

Normally, Zelda would have felt quite awkward and intrusive watching someone take a bath like this; but it was to save her best friend from having his soul eaten, so she looked on. When Jenna slipped her dress off and brushed her hair over her shoulder, the princess covered her mouth with her hand to stop herself from gasping. Between her shoulder blades were two large slits in her skin, from which her hidden wings protruded ever so slightly when she bent over to enter the tub! It was just as she and Impa suspected; this woman was anything but human!

Jenna chuckled to herself as she relaxed in the tub. "That is the heroic man who became the 'Hero of Time' and saved Hyrule from darkness, hmm?" She grinned wickedly. "He is _quite _handsome. Ah, if only I was human, I would love to have such a man as my husband and produce strong, beautiful children with him." She took a bar of soap and began scrubbing herself. "I almost feel sorry for wanting to devour him!"

Zelda gritted her teeth in rage. So the shameless seductress shows her true colors! She continued to check the room for any charms that might be the source of her magic; but her search proved fruitless. Soon, Jenna was out of the tub and changing into a white gown with what appeared to be Triforce insignias embroidered into it. Not only did this villainess have the nerve to speak of her dear friend as some sort of trophy she could claim, she also unashamedly wore sacred symbols that were only worn by the clergy and the royal family as a fashion design! Indeed, she wasn't simply spoiled and selfish, she was also the most prideful and self-important being the princess had ever laid eyes on!

As Jenna ran a silver lace through her braided hair, she spoke. "Mirror, show me where Link is."

The reflection in the mirror suddenly changed into a vision of Link, dressed nicely (as nicely as he could dress living off of a rookie knight's salary) and walking chipperly through the town on his way to the castle. Perhaps, thought Zelda, this was how she caught wind of Link's existence in the first place, and possibly even how she knew of his deeds and title. Jenna licked her lips at the sight and grinned.

"_Good_," she said, "he's on his way." The mirror returned to normal, and Jenna resumed using it to get ready. In the time it took for Jenna to put the finishing touches on her outfit, hair, and makeup, Link made it to the stables, his footsteps reaching the ears of both the creature and the cloaked princess inside the wagon.

"Oh, Link!" cried Jenna in faux excitement, "Is that you? Do come in!"

Link stepped inside the wagon, that stupid, goofy grin still on his face. "Sorry if I've kept you waiting," he said taking Jenna's hand and kissing it, _again_. "You look beautiful tonight."

Once again, Jenna let out a horrifically fake little giggle. Then she began to stare into Link's eyes, just as she had done when they first met. "You're looking quite handsome as well."

That was when something clicked in Zelda's head. Her eyes - yes, there was no doubt about it, Jenna's mind controlling magic had come from her eyes this whole time! The way she stared into Link's eyes and the way she had tried to stare into Zelda's own left little room for doubt, and now she was simply reinforcing the spell she had cast upon him earlier that day! She immediately knew what she had to do: to break the spell, she had to _destroy the creature's eyes_...!

Grabbing a candlestick from a nearby table, Zelda ran up to Jenna and struck her over the head, hoping to knock her unconscious. The beast was stronger than she looked, however, and merely winced in pain and turned, glaring at her invisible attacker. Link immediately sprung into action to protect Jenna, drawing his sword and slashing at what appeared to him to be a floating candlestick. Knowing that her rash actions had backfired, Zelda dropped her makeshift weapon and dispelled the cloak's magic.

"Link, stop!" she cried, "You have to listen to me! This woman isn't who she says she is!"

Link lowered his sword, his eyes widened in shock. "Zelda!" He glared angrily at his friend. "What the hell are you doing! This isn't like you at all!"

"I'm trying to _protect _you!"

"Protect me from _what_, my date!"

Zelda grew more agitated and pointed at the now cowering Jenna (though she knew she was only pretending). "That date of yours is a monster! She isn't human! She's bewitched you, and she's going to devour your soul...!"

The enraged hero looked at Jenna, then back at Zelda, grabbing her by the wrist and dragging her to the back of the wagon. "Zelda, you've gone completely mad! How dare you say that about your old friend!"

"She is _not _my friend! She's tricked you into believing that she is!"

"So what you're saying is that Jenna's some _demon _using mind control on me?"

"That's _exactly _what I'm saying!"

Link glared at her for a moment longer, then looked away, his face a mixture of anger and pity. "You really have lost it," he said. "If she was a monster like you say, don't you think I would have sensed it by now?"

"But you _did _sense it, Link," Zelda pleaded desperately, "just before she put her spell on you..."

Shaking his head, Link let go of her. "Go back to the castle. You're clearly sick." He looked back at her sadly. "I don't want to see my best friend lose her mind like this."

"Link...!"

He ignored her, returning to Jenna's side and helping her up. "I'm so sorry, Jenna," he said, "I don't know what's happened to her. And to think, you two used to be such good friends..."

Her face drenched with crocodile tears, Jenna sniffled. "Oh, Link," she said pitifully, "I'm scared. My dear friend, my dear Princess Zelda..." she clung to Link, turning her face away to shoot a death glare at her assailant, "...will she be all right?"

"Don't worry, I'll find a way to help her." Link led Jenna out of the wagon by her shoulders. "Come on, don't cry; I'm taking you to the best restaurant in castle town...!"

When they left, the princess fell weakly to her knees. He thought she was mad - he really, truly thought she had gone mad! And for him to show his care and concern for her while at the same time being deceived by that evil, _evil _being - it was enough to bring tears to her eyes.

"Goddesses, please," she whimpered, wiping her face with her hands, "give me a way to stop her... I have to get him back..." She lowered her head, her tears dripping onto the floor. "I have to get my Link back...!"


	3. All The Devils Are Here

**My Inner Nightmare****  
****By Queenie Z**

_**Chapter 3: All The Devils Are Here**_

"Impa, _please_, you have to talk to her! I've been trying all week to get her to see some sense, but she just won't listen! You're the only one who can get through to her!"

"I understand, Link. I'll speak with her regarding her actions."

"Thank you."

Zelda tensed as she listened through the door to her room to the conversation going on outside. There was a short pause before Link spoke again.

"...I'm worried about her," said Link in a quieter voice, "she attacked Jenna in cold blood, and she was rambling about how she was a demon." Zelda could hear his feet shuffling on the floor anxiously. "I'd be all alone if it weren't for Zelda. I don't want to lose her, not like this. I'm begging you... please help her."

"I'll do what I can. ...Get some rest, Link, and leave the princess to me."

"I'm in your debt."

As soon as Link's footsteps faded into silence, Zelda let out an exhausted growl of agitation and flopped onto her bed, covering her head with a pillow and digging her nails into it. Then, she heard a knock at the door.

"He's gone, Princess."

Zelda sighed. "Come in."

Impa let herself in, shutting the door behind her and frowning at the sight of the exasperated girl. "At the very least, he has enough of his free will left to be concerned about you." The Sheikah sat at the foot of the bed, placing a hand on Zelda's back in a gesture of comfort.

"I think that makes it worse," said the princess from under her pillow.

"How so?"

"Because," she uncovered herself and sat up, squeezing the pillow close to her chest, "he thinks I've gone mad! He's so concerned for me, but he doesn't even realize that _he's_ the one who's been bewitched! And..." She sulked. "...And he says he doesn't want to lose me, but then he turns right around and starts frolicking with that _beast_ like he's the happiest man in Hyrule!" She paused for a moment, shut her eyes, and took a deep breath, and continued, lowering her voice to a near whisper. "Under her spell, he wouldn't really care if I was gone. All that matters to him now is that _thing_!"

Impa moved her hand to pet Zelda's hair, a warm smile gracing her face. "If I may be frank, Zelda, I would say that you're experiencing a bit of jealousy."

The princess inhaled sharply as her cheeks turned a bright pink, but she acknowledged Impa's words. "...Perhaps a little." She smiled bashfully. "Sometimes I've imagined him acting towards me the way he acts towards Jenna right now. But that's just my hopelessly girlish imagination getting the best of me, I suppose."

"I wouldn't call it hopeless," chuckled Impa.

Eager to change the subject, Zelda straightened up, her face becoming suddenly resolute. "In any case," she said, "we have to focus on breaking Jenna's spell and destroying her before she takes Link's soul."

Impa lowered her hand. "You said that her magic comes from her eyes," she said, "but that you haven't been able to get close to her because of Link, correct?"

Zelda nodded. "And even if I could destroy her eyes, she would flee before we found a way to defeat her for good, and that would only leave us vulnerable for her revenge. That's why we have to know exactly what we're doing before we make our next move."

"A wise plan, Princess." Impa stood. "I have a theory that may help us destroy her, but I have to leave the castle to confirm it."

"You do?" Zelda's eyes widened. "What is it!"

"I'll let you know once I'm done." Impa headed for the door. "I'll be back before dawn. Sleep well."

Trusting that her attendant knew what she was doing, the princess smiled at her. "All right. Good night, Impa."

After smiling back at her charge, Impa left the bedroom and shut the door, leaving Zelda to slip under the covers and at least attempt to get some sleep.

* * *

When her eyes fluttered open the next morning, the golden sunshine that normally came through her window to awaken her was nowhere to be found. Instead, she was greeted by a grey sky and the sound of rolling thunder in the distance. She sat up, rubbed the sleep from her face, groaned - the night before had been a restless one indeed - and finally noticed the shadow that was cast over her bed.

Gasping loudly, she turned to the door. It was open, and standing in the doorframe with a smirk on her lips was Jenna. Alarmed, the princess jumped out of bed, snatching up a vase from her nightstand and holding it defensively.

Jenna merely chuckled at her reaction. "My apologies, _dear friend_," she said in a mocking tone, "did I frighten you?"

"What are you doing here!"

"Can't an old friend come and visit every once in a while?"

"You are _not _my friend," spat Zelda, "stop saying that you are!"

"You may know that," sneered Jenna, "but all of your guards and servants seem to think otherwise. Funny, that."

"I know what you've done to them," said Zelda unflinchingly, "and I know what you've done to Link, too. If you want his soul, you'll have to face me first!"

Jenna cackled. "Aww, what's the matter, Princess? Are you jealous that I'll be the one to have Link instead of you?"

"You _won't _have him!"

"He's already as good as mine!" She allowed her expression to soften into that stomach-churning, fake smile of hers once again. "Do you see the way he looks at me with that handsome smile and those sparkling, _eternal_ blue eyes? He _loves _me. He wants me as a part of his life. And I've let him think that I'll be leaving at the end of the week - the poor thing doesn't know what to do with himself!"

"That isn't _love_! That's _brainwashing_!" Zelda tightened her grip on the vase.

"Brainwashing?" giggled Jenna, "Oh, goodness, even I'm not capable of _that_. The man still has his free will; all I did was alter his perception and memories a little." She pouted. "If I could do that sort of thing, it wouldn't have taken this long to get him to sleep with me."

The princess grew enraged. "What have you done to him!"

"Nothing, yet, but I know desire when I see it." Jenna shook her head. "He's slow to open up, I'll give you that, but he's been looking at me in a way you only wish he'd look at you." She looked out the window. "And, tonight, under the light of the full moon, I'm going to give him what he wants. Won't that be _romantic_, Princess?"

Zelda stared at her in horror. This witch, this _abomination _was going to take Link's body and soul tonight! In a fury, she threw the vase at the succubus.

"_You'll do no such thing, you __**fiend**_!"

Jenna sidestepped out of the way as the vase shattered against the wall, laughing. "What a temper you have!" Then, she nonchalantly turned and walked away. "Well, I'm off to share breakfast with my _darling _Link! Take care, my friend!"

The furious Zelda began to chase after her, but when she got to the doorway, she stopped herself. Chasing her would have done no good; she had to find Impa instead and see if her theory was correct. Taking a deep breath to calm her nerves, she headed the direction opposite of Jenna and towards Impa's chambers.

* * *

Impa's eyes widened at the news. "She plans to take him _tonight_? And she told you this?"

Zelda nodded, her eyes still burning with anger. "She had the nerve to enter my chambers and tell me everything. How conceited."

"But she doesn't know that you've identified her power source, correct?"

"I don't think so."

"That means we still have the upper hand." Impa walked over to a table and grabbed an object wrapped in cloth, presenting it to the princess. "As long as we find her in time, we can break the spell on Link and destroy her with this."

Zelda eagerly took the object and began to unwrap it, revealing it to be the dagger that Impa always carried on her hip. She blinked curiously at it. "...This? But, Impa, this is yours, isn't it?"

"I supposed, based on the type of magic Jenna uses, that she is a creature that draws her strength from deceit and the vices that fill the hearts of men. If we assume that to be true, then magic based in the qualities of truth, selflessness, and purity would be an anathema to her; the same type of magic that allows fairies and Great Fairies to heal the wounded and bless them with good fortune." Impa smiled. "I had the Great Fairy of Magic bless this knife with her power; she was more than willing to aid the goddesses' champion."

Her rage turning quickly into hope, Zelda's face lit up. After wrapping the dagger back up, she laughed and threw her arms around her caretaker. "Thank you, Impa!" she cried happily, "Thank you so much! Now we can save Link...!"

Impa returned the embrace. "Now _you _can save Link," she clarified. "You're the only one who's immune to her tricks and can see trough her mask." She took Zelda by the shoulders. "Now, go to her wagon and wait for her there."

Zelda shook her head. "She won't be there," she said, "Jenna told me that she would 'give him what he wants under the light of the full moon'." Her face grew serious again. "That means she's going to take him somewhere out of doors."

"That could be anywhere," mused Impa, her brow creased in thought, "although I doubt she'd go anywhere public to mate with and murder him."

"That still leaves too many options!"

The Sheikah thought some more, then smirked ever so slightly. "Well, Princess, forgive my boldness, but if you were to take Link somewhere special for your first time, where would _you _take him?"

With a shriek, Zelda turned beet red. "I-Impa! N-Now isn't the time for - "

"I'm asking in all seriousness, Zelda," replied the older woman, amused at her reaction.

Zelda grew even more flushed as she lowered her head, considering the question. "Well, um... I always that that Lake Hylia would be a wonderful place to - " she gasped. "That's it! Not only is it secluded, it's one of the only places you can see the full moon clearly...!"

Impa nodded. "That sounds like the most likely place." Impa turned, opening one of her drawers and taking out a chainmail top and the sheath for the dagger, handing both to Zelda. "Take these, and the Sheikah cloak as well. Jenna has control over the guards and the stable boys, so going on horseback is out of the question. You'll have to go on foot."

The young princess swallowed. "On foot...?"

"Link was able to do it," said Impa, gathering the Sheikah cloak in her arms, "and I have no doubts that you can, too."

With a determined nod, Zelda took the cloak as well. "Right. I'll stop her - I'll save Link no matter what!"

Impa smiled in approval, knowing that the princess' wisdom and courage would not fail her on her mission.

* * *

It was mid-afternoon before the princess as a chance to sneak away from the castle and begin her journey to Lake Hylia. Though the spring afternoon was warm and she was only able to carry a small amount of food and water with her, she braved the journey without a word of complaint, knowing that the person most precious to her was counting on her. She hurried past Kakariko, past the ranch, past the forest, and past the dry path to the desert before finally reaching her destination.

She looked upon the lake's surface and was stunned to see a crystal clear reflection of the moon - though the sky hadn't darkened completely yet, the full moon was still visible, meaning that she had to hurry if she wanted to stop the succubus' plan.

Uttering the invisibility spell for her cloak, she ran to the shoreline, looking all over for any sign of the couple. She looked to the east and the west, then finally towards the tree in the lake's center. She'd know that little blonde ponytail anywhere - that was definitely Link, and he was already engaged in heartfelt conversation with the creature! From afar, she saw Link hang his head in sadness.

"Jenna," he began, his voice laced with melancholy, "it's been a wonderful week with you." He turned to look at her. "Even as short as it was‚ I really enjoyed the time I've spent with you. I wish you didn't have to leave."

Jenna took his hand. "I don't want to leave either, Link," she said as she placed a hand on his face, "my love..."

Link wrapped her tightly in his arms. "I... I don't think I'll ever find someone else quite like you." He then separated from her, stroked her hair with his hand, and looked into her eyes. "I love you, Jenna."

With a gasp of false amazement, Jenna forced herself to begin crying. "Oh, Link...!" It was then that their lips met, Jenna's hands gripping his shirt tightly as they kissed. When they finally parted, she leaned in and whispered to him breathlessly.

"Make love to me, Link," she breathed, "let me have at least that much..."

At that, the young hero's eyes widened. He swallowed nervously, but he nodded. "I," he stammered, "I want to, with you, Jenna - "

Before he could finish his sentence, his eyes rolled into the back of his head and he fainted. Startled and infuriated by this sudden change in events, Jenna reached over to shake him awake.

"Link!" she cried, "Link, wake up! What's the matter with you!"

"He won't wake up. Not until I remove the sleeping spell."

Zelda rematerialized before Jenna's eyes, standing up from her kneeling position on the ground and glaring into the creature's skull.

Jenna grimaced, her eyelid twitching in anger. "You couldn't mind your own damn business, could you?"

"Not only did you try to take my best friend's body by force," growled the princess, "you tried to take his soul as well." She held out her palm, a small fireball forming in it. "I won't forgive you for this - not until I've rid my kingdom of your evil!"

Jenna stood to confront her. "You think your beginner's magic tricks will stop me!" She bore her teeth - now a sharp set of fangs - to her opponent. She raised her hand, her nails elongating into sharp claws, and swiped at Zelda, tearing into her clothes and causing her to stumble back. When she saw the chainmail underneath, she hissed, then lunged forward to grab her neck.

The succubus was far stronger than she looked, for she was able to lift Zelda high above the ground with a single hand. Grinning wickedly, she watched as Zelda coughed and gasped for air, kicking her feet underneath her. Then, she stopped, not because she ran out of air, but so she could reach out and place her palms over the creature's eyes. Smoke rose from Zelda's hands, filling the air with the scent of burnt flesh and a howl of pain from Jenna. She dropped the princess, screeching hysterically and grabbing what was left of her face.

"My eyes," she cried, "you _bitch_...!"

After catching her breath, Zelda reached under her cloak and drew Impa's dagger. Then, with a cry of her own, she drove the knife through the infernal beast's heart, sending her to the ground in a convulsing fit and screaming incoherently.

Zelda averted her eyes as the succubus let out its dying screams. When they stopped, she turned around to see only a smoldering pile of ashes with the dagger laying on top of them. Seeing that the thing known as Jenna was finally, _finally _gone, she fell to her bottom, sighing in relief before returning to Link's unconscious form, cradling him in her arms.

"I'm sorry, Link," she muttered as she waved a hand over his face to dispel the magic, "I only did what I had to."

With a groan, Link opened his eyes. "...Zelda?" A few seconds later, he finally grasped the situation and shot up, feeling himself to make sure that his clothes were still on. After realizing that they were, he relaxed a little.

"Thank the goddesses," he sighed, "I'm clothed."

At that, Zelda tackled the young knight, embracing him tightly and burying her head in his shoulder. "You're back!" she cried, "You're really back...!"

Though startled, Link smiled sheepishly and patted her on the back. "Yeah, I guess so." He looked over to the pile of ashes. "...Zelda, is that...?"

She looked back up at him, nodding. "She's gone, Link," she said, "she can't hurt you anymore."

Link hung his head again. "I'm so sorry," he said, "I should have listened to you. I almost made a terrible mistake... I..."

Zelda placed a finger to his lips. "It's all right. It wasn't your fault." She stood, helping him up to his feet.

As he stood, Link grimaced at the pile of ashes. "To think I almost give myself to that - " he covered his mouth and coughed, swallowing the bile that was building in his throat, " - You don't happen to have a spell that can make me forget the past week, do you?"

Though she tried to keep from laughing, Zelda couldn't help herself. "I'm sorry," she chortled, "I'd be happy to help you forget if I could."

With another groan, Link sulked. "I may just have to give up on romance for good after almost losing my virginity to a _monster_."

"Oh, Link, don't say that!" Zelda patted his shoulder. "There's someone out there who will truly care about you; someone who you'll want to give yourself to out of real love."

He glanced at Zelda, then at his feet, then finally at the moon, the darkness hiding the color in his cheeks. "Well," he muttered scratching his chin, "I guess there might be _someone _I'd - "

"_What_!" screeched Zelda, "You have somebody in mind, and you never thought to tell me!"

Link furiously shook his head. "N-No, that's not what I - "

"That _is _what you said!" Zelda pouted. "So who is it? Tell me!"

"No!" he protested, backing away onto the bridge, "I'm not saying another word!"

"Come on, I'm your friend, you have to tell me!"

"You can't make me tell!"

"Oh yes I can, Link...!"

With that, she began to chase him over the bridge and back to the shoreline, eager to pry his secret out of him. And though she had no way of knowing for sure, she all the while entertained the possibility that, perhaps, she wasn't the only one with a hopelessly romantic imagination.


End file.
